The Facts

Country: Palestine, Bethlehem
Launched: 2006
Partners: Nike, Alrowwad Center
Objectives: To empower and inspire women of the Aida Camp through access to fitness activities
Program Highlights:

• Access to a safe place to release stress and meet other women
• More than 50 women have been empowered and inspired by the project since its inception
• Formation of a women’s committee who meet and discuss various issues, women now have more impact in the community
• Nike have contributed a total of $5000USD to assist the project

“It’s not only the women who benefit from the sessions, but the entire family. Women from the project commented on such positives reactions from their family. Most of the time the husbands support their wives and encourage them to come to the centre. The children also support their mothers. The reason is because then their wife and mother returns home smiling and less stressed because she has had the opportunity to let off steam.” - Abdelfattah Abusrour, Director of Alrowwad Centre

Encouraging the integration of women in society through participation in sport is having a profound effect on women in the Aida refugee camp, Bethlehem.

The camp, located northwest of Bethlehem was established in the early 50s to host thousands of Palestinians who were forced to flee their lands. Severe restrictions imposed on their lives have indirectly caused poverty and unemployment. The crowded camp hosts around 5,000 people, 53% of which are women.

As one of the most vulnerable groups in society, women experience greater psychological pressure from the atmosphere of the camp. To eliminate some of these problems the Alrowwad Cultural and Theatre Training Centre (ACTTC) with the help of Nike and partner organisation Ashoka opened The Fitness Space. A place where women could de-stress while also achieving physical health benefits.

“The main idea is to provide women with a space for self expression and freedom to liberate themselves in a friendly environment with other women. Fitness is the first step to approaching women, a way to empower them on physical, emotional and psychological levels,” says Abdelfattah Abusrour, Founder and Director of ACTTC.

Interest in the centre has grown rapidly, from 12 women in the beginning to 50 women by month three. The women, who range in age from 20-to-50 years, attend three two-hour fitness sessions a week.

“This project has exceeded our expectations in terms of the participation and feedback we are receiving from participants,” says Abdelfattah. “The women enjoy the sessions because it meets not only a physical need but also a psychological need. It provides the opportunity for them to meet other women, chat, share ideas, make friends and importantly get a breath of fresh air.”
Abdelfattah says The Fitness Center has influenced changing social circumstances and discriminations against women and has fostered closer relationships within families.

“There seems to be more cooperation and understanding from the husbands for their wives’ needs and likewise children for the needs of their mother, brothers for the needs of their sisters. It really has changed the concept of the main role of the woman in the home.”

Visit www.nikewomen.com and vote for Palestine – AIDA Refugee Camp if you think this program deserves a grant from Nike.

To learn more about Ashoka, visit the site here.